"It would be good to give much thought, before
you try to find words for something so lost,
for those long childhood afternoons you knew
that vanished so completely --and why?

We're still reminded--: sometimes by a rain,
but we can no longer say what it means;
life was never again so filled with meeting,
with reunion and with passing on

as back then, when nothing happened to us
except what happens to things and creatures:
we lived their world as something human,
and became filled to the brim with figures.

And became as lonely as a shepherd
and as overburdened by vast distances,
and summoned and stirred as from far away,
and slowly, like a long new thread,
introduced into that picture-sequence
where now having to go on bewilders us"

(R. M. Rilke)

Beautiful photos! Your little boy is so lovely... And the sky is gorgeous! ????? · 2009-06-15: 14:13

very dreamy tones i lke them all mohdruslin · 2009-06-15: 14:31

he look so tiny in front of that amazing sky... the softness you have added to the image makes it dreamy! TIM927 · 2009-06-15: 14:37

Brilliant post. yellodog · 2009-06-15: 14:48

last one is amazing. i like it so much. "in front of the heaven" this is my tag. ;) extralarge · 2009-06-15: 14:57

How beautifully composed and what a lovely story they form. revenant · 2009-06-15: 15:10

"those long childhood afternoons"... such fitting images for this mood... ...mesmerizing odradek · 2009-06-15: 15:21

GYÖNYÖRŰ!!!!! vterezia · 2009-06-15: 17:27

I love #1, such a great representation of childhood, the whole world ahead of him. Looks magical. Jamie is cute as always. Did you use a filter on these, I love the soft feel. etodd80 · 2009-06-15: 17:31

cool dramatic set! love the clouds! Riyaz · 2009-06-15: 18:01

lovely post, #2 is so sweet! :) worldthrumylens · 2009-06-15: 19:59

Beautiful shots of Jamie with a beautiful poem. It's magical. dgarun · 2009-06-16: 01:12

sometimes i wonder if a child, being spoiled by growing up in such beautiful environments, so protected and natural and free of problems, will be able to face what troubles the world will have in stock for him. i know, there are tons of theories about what prepares us for life and i don't want to burn my fingers with advise from one who has no experience in parenting to one who obviously is a master; but i sure hope that you guys will survive not only the calm before but the storm as well. :-) stormfish · 2009-06-16: 04:21

Isn't it quite exrtaordinary how certain weather conditions, cloud formations, atmostpherics,etc, can take us instantly to a feeling of childhood or even a particular place and moment...this has happened a lot with me recently :-) ????? · 2009-06-16: 05:21

Love the first one, great deep colours and good point of view! hannamagnusson · 2009-06-16: 10:03

the first one has a feeling of storybooks and fairy tales. beautiful. JuliaGotz · 2009-06-16: 13:14

Delightful shots and what a majestic backdrop davids · 2009-06-16: 14:05

I like how small Jamie looks in the vast space in the first image but still fearless in his encounter with the world. I like the sharing of his happy excitement in the second. I thought I'll have something more to say, but after reading the poem, I'm at loss for words. .....Still ..."What a wonderful world ! "..... redro · 2009-06-16: 16:20

How lovely! This is the same spot where you took that last photo! I recognise the trees. It's a beautiful place and deserves to be photographed many times! It's a great backdrop for the portrait of your little boy! ????? · 2009-06-16: 21:44

lovely words great post slowpete · 2009-06-17: 03:02

What a wonderful poem. The poet put it so wisely when he said... as back then, when nothing happened to us except what happens to things and creatures: we lived their world as something human, and became filled to the brim with figures. Sometimes I wish to return such simple pleasures. makaid · 2009-06-17: 09:47

wonderful photos (and I like Rilke !! ) camilleauteuil · 2009-06-17: 11:21

eidea: you try to say I should move to an industrial city areal and send him to labour camp in order to prepare him for life? :-)) ok, seriously, you suggest that if a child is protected completely from any negative impact, he never develops any coping skills that can be used to solve the problems of adolescence and adulthood. And yes, there is that popular belief that if children have experienced traumas and betrayals early in life they are doomed to a depressed and ineffective life, which I believe too, its not necesseraly true. Most parents today wish to protect them from all possible negative influences, so do I. But it doesnt mean I succeed to keep him from all troubles, and believe I wont. And I am certain he is facing his own problems already, which of course are not comparable to that of adults, but in the dimension of a childs mind they are significant, troubles and struggles like the daily frustration when he fails to create that lego constraction that he has in his mind and than he screams and breaks and drops himself on the floor in deep disappointment, accepting and adapting himself to daily routines and rules... he goes next year to kindergarten and later to school and I`m sure he will be faced with many tasks and problems to solve... yes, problems are good, as long as there is a role model to teach appropriate coping behaviors and attitudes. No, I dont want to provide for him unneccessary challenges to overcome, but a healthy mix of honest exposure to reality (and if that reality is loving parents and a beautiful environment, well, its still reality, i wont fake it just for the sake of negative impacts to train him), loving comfort and guidance to teach him that while life is not always easy, problems can be resolved. I hope I can and will... gosh... you made me think... I know people who are grown up free of problems and are capable to face and solve any of them as adults, and saw the contrary too... everything is possible; we just show the way but they have to walk it. And the worst thing living in such idyllic countryside environment could cause him is that he will hate the smell of dunging for a lifetime, or maybe in the contrary, he will always miss it ;-) thanks so much for your (always) thought provoking comment on this highly important topic. longimanus · 2009-06-17: 11:32

ummmmmmmmmmm second one is really beautiful but i would have place the child in the middle. growing in such beautiful envoriments its a blessing elclic · 2009-06-18: 03:01

#2 my fav Fantastic :) LampadaMervelha · 2009-06-18: 10:34

Extreme beauty!! Unchained · 2009-06-19: 09:44

curious... just this morning I was going to favourite #2, but didn't (and I probably will now), and then you note an old one of mine, which brought me back to this conversation that I didn't examine earlier, but now have, and I'm wondering... dae88 · 2009-06-19: 18:49

Monika... did you used wide angle for the second shot??? Very nice. garysktam · 2009-06-22: 10:43

I like your reply to eidea . I can only say being protected and feeling protected by your parents and knowing you can trust them is the best start to life you can give a child to overcome these difficult hurdles life throws at you no matter what environment you are brought up in. LOvely photos. ????? · 2009-06-28: 10:58

Your first stunning shot is in my favorites. Fantastic landscapes and lovely shots to your cute boy. All my best to him and to you. I believe that any human being needs to share love, harmony, protection, good support and good examples of life to grow up well to be a complete and self-actualized human being. I believe that parents are the bow which shoot their arrows-children in the future life with their best support and life teaching. ????? · 2009-07-12: 09:56

jogos online jogos online · 2012-12-15: 16:02

Tagged: longimanus children childhood life jamie home growing up